Hi, I'm looking for help. I am trying to control ws2812b LED light strips with QLC+ (open to using grandMA2) Picture of my circuit https://imgur.com/a/dj24EGt
The LED strips are being run through a DMX512 Decoder https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F2 ... UTF8&psc=1
routed to the computer with this USB to DMX https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D6 ... UTF8&psc=1.
Here is my QLC+ input/output screen https://imgur.com/a/yVXEtu0. As you can see I'm receiving data from my USB to DMX device. Adjusting the faders does nothing to the LED.
Before I launch QLC+ the LED strip runs through the color wheel . Once QLC+ has been launched it freezes and remains in the same colors. I believe this shows the QLC+ is receiving some kind of data from the LED.
I am assuming my LEDs aren't working for one of two reasons. Either there is an issue in the way I set my fixture https://imgur.com/a/7sIkvDQ or there is a driver issue but as mentioned above it looks like QLC+ recognizes my LED strip so I don't believe that to be the issue.
If there is anything else I can provide please let me know.
Need help setting up ws2812b led strips with qlc+
-
GGGss
- Posts: 3052
- Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:15 pm
- Location: Belgium
- Real Name: Fredje Gallon
Please KISS your problem.
[edit: please have a look below, I studied your case a little more]
[edit2: I keep my comments here for future reference]
- - -
Try to minimize the number of faulty bits in your total string.
Since the WS2812's stop doing its color wheel stuff, you can assume that the DMX bus is not High Z anymore. (High Z being high impotence when not connected)
Now comes addressing, timing issues, ...
The best tip I can give you at this moment is: try to lend/find a real DMX fixture and verify if this is responsive. A 1 channel dimmer pack is the cheapest but a bit dull, I'd suggest getting yourself a small RGB(W) fixture. After acknowledging the DMX bus is sending real valid signals, you can start debugging the LED strings driver.
Depending on the number of dots you want to drive, your serial to DMX interface might have trouble coping with the avalanche of signals to be sent. I'd surely start with lowering its sending frequence aka DMX bus frequency. Somewhere below 22Hz.
[edit: please have a look below, I studied your case a little more]
[edit2: I keep my comments here for future reference]
- - -
Try to minimize the number of faulty bits in your total string.
Since the WS2812's stop doing its color wheel stuff, you can assume that the DMX bus is not High Z anymore. (High Z being high impotence when not connected)
Now comes addressing, timing issues, ...
The best tip I can give you at this moment is: try to lend/find a real DMX fixture and verify if this is responsive. A 1 channel dimmer pack is the cheapest but a bit dull, I'd suggest getting yourself a small RGB(W) fixture. After acknowledging the DMX bus is sending real valid signals, you can start debugging the LED strings driver.
Depending on the number of dots you want to drive, your serial to DMX interface might have trouble coping with the avalanche of signals to be sent. I'd surely start with lowering its sending frequence aka DMX bus frequency. Somewhere below 22Hz.
Last edited by GGGss on Thu Nov 11, 2021 11:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
All electric machines work on smoke... when the smoke escapes... they don't work anymore
-
GGGss
- Posts: 3052
- Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:15 pm
- Location: Belgium
- Real Name: Fredje Gallon
I have looked at your provided screenshots and you already can strike a lot of the above comments.
Frequency is lowered (by default?) and shows a green state [input/output screen]
So now one can assume that DMX is being sent to the LED driver.
There seem to be a couple of modes your led driver can work in. These will have to be set in the right fashion. Unfortunately, there is no manual available, so I can't help you.
Since the color wheel is shown, the driver might be in the right mode for your LED string.
So it all distills back to a DMX addressing issue?
Without the manual, I cannot help you any further.
Try to use the Simple Mode in QLC+ (the screen with all the faders) and try some; you might be lucky here.
Your choice of fixture is wrong since the chip is only an RGB chip (so 3 channels per LED dot).
Frequency is lowered (by default?) and shows a green state [input/output screen]
So now one can assume that DMX is being sent to the LED driver.
There seem to be a couple of modes your led driver can work in. These will have to be set in the right fashion. Unfortunately, there is no manual available, so I can't help you.
Since the color wheel is shown, the driver might be in the right mode for your LED string.
So it all distills back to a DMX addressing issue?
Without the manual, I cannot help you any further.
Try to use the Simple Mode in QLC+ (the screen with all the faders) and try some; you might be lucky here.
Your choice of fixture is wrong since the chip is only an RGB chip (so 3 channels per LED dot).
All electric machines work on smoke... when the smoke escapes... they don't work anymore
-
dakotalighting
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2021 4:14 am
- Real Name:
Already have plans to get a cheap dmx device and work backwards from there. Thanks for the feedback.
-
keukenrol
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Thu Oct 01, 2020 5:50 pm
- Location: Belgium
- Real Name:
Take a look at WLED for ESP32. You have to buy a quinled board if you do not like soldering / making a small custom board youself but it allows you to run thousands of those pixels on a single controller using sACN / Artnet / DDP.